Last month I wrote twoposts about some of the unexpected ways God has been working as we raise support. This week the surprises continued. During a conference call with some of the leadership at MAF we discussed a new plan that drastically changes our path moving forward.

After a year-and-a-half of deputation, our monthly support is at 78% of our original $6,500 per month support goal. Despite our increased efforts and continued prayer, growth has been sporadic and hard to predict. On more than one occasion throughout the process we have worked with MAF to set benchmarks, and asked God to confirm our plans by bringing our support level to those points. Each time the benchmark was met, though each time it was by a small margin. Each time it was decided that we would continue with deputation. However, by our best estimation, we won’t reach $6,500 until August when we’re supposed to leave for language school. Even then we would still need an additional $700 in monthly to reach the new $7,200 support goal for all MAF staff families. The MAF leadership team, Stephanie, and I have all been concerned about putting our faithful supporters through another period of uncertainty. We all agreed that a more concrete plan of action was needed.

Well, after much prayer and discussion, we have that plan!!! Instead of going to French language school in Quebec, we will go straight to D.R. Congo in May. The portion of our one-time outgoing support that would have gone to language school will be used to make up the deficit in monthly support. We will work on learning French and Swahili on the field. Additionally, our term will be reduced from 3.5 years to 2. There is a huge need for an IT Specialist in the east DRC program! This plan gets our family to the field where we can start expanding MAF’s IT ministry.

During the next three months we will continue raising support, purchase any tools and supplies we still need for life overseas, pack our belongings for storage and shipment, attend orientation at MAF headquarters in Idaho (late April/early May), get immunizations, get passports for the kids, celebrate Omri’s first birthday, say goodbyes, and pray we don’t go crazy. Somewhere in there we’ll eat, breath, and sleep. Do I even need to say that our minds have been running a million miles-per-hour?

8 Comments

That is so great!!! You guys were on my mind & heart this week…now I know why! Also, tax return = tithe. So we all win whenever the IRS gets on that for me ALSO, I’m coming to Iowa at the end of February. Any chance to see you guys??

Changes of plans – that’s the life of a missionary! Boy, do we understand about that! I hope you’ll find many people 100% behind you as you continue to deal with change after change. But God never changes!